Hikers on a popular long-distance trail in the Scottish Highlands are warned to be alert to a fast-growing population of wild boar.
Up to 8,000 of the large feral pigs are now living along the 78-mile Great Glen Way, between Fort William and Inverness. The trail is also popular with runners in Scotland.
While the wild animals will usually prefer to avoid humans, there have been documented incidents of attacks.
The boars, which have been spotted up to 420lb / 190kg in weight and the size of a Shetland pony, will aggressively protect their nests and young.
If taken unawares or cornered they may attack. Hikers with dogs are also being warned of the potential dangers.
A woman on a section of the trail recorded frightening footage of a boar attacking her dog, while it was on a lead.
A farmer on the banks of Loch Ness, Catherine Mclennan, also told a newspaper, The Press and Journal (P&J), she came across wild boar at night. She said: “There were dozens of them on our land.”
She added, with a warning: “There have been people coming across the wild boar and being chased by them. Someone will get killed or badly hurt.”
Posts of the Great Glen Way Walk Facebook page report other issues with boars on the Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit section of the Great Glen Way, including a couple with a dog who were chased.
Stuart Macdonald, who lives near Drumnadrochit, in the Great Glen and runs a pest control business, told Advnture he has also heard about – and seen evidence of – wild boar attacks on both people and dogs, as well as suspected livestock killings, including lambs and ewes.
He said: “Populations of the wild boars in the area are out of control.”
And he believes official figures on the numbers of wild boars are “most likely misleading”. He said: “The Scottish Government agency NatureScot reports there are populations in their low thousands but I would suggest the numbers are much higher than this.
“This is also backed by other anecdotal reports and wildlife camera recordings. It’s difficult to keep track of the animals because they are usually quite secretive and they spend a lot of time in deep vegetation.
“But given how many we used to see a decade of so ago and the numbers spotted now, even a conservative estimate puts numbers at around 8,000.”
More and more sightings of boars
Macdonald, who owns A1 Vermin Control and Deer Management, said that hikers on the Great Glen Way are increasingly likely to see the boars.
He said: “Over the years, the number of sightings has increased because the population has grown. They are fast breeders with sows having a potential two or three litters of up to six piglets annually. At six months, the young sows can also breed so you can see how numbers quickly expand.
“It’s fairly common to spot the pigs all along the trail – and within half a mile of Inverness city centre – and they are often in groups of males, females and young.”
Public sightings, as well as reports of land damage and attacks on livestock, are recorded on both sides of famous tourist attraction Loch Ness, which stretches along the Great Glen Way, and as far apart as Fort Augustus, Dores, Whitebridge Drumnadrochit and Dochfour. The sighting close to Inverness was reportedly at Torvean Quarry, a privately owned woodland.
Call for action to reduce wild boar populations
In other recent newspaper reports, including The Telegraph, the Inverness Courier and the P&J, there have been calls by land owners, farmers and gamekeepers for action to better manage the boar numbers.
Gamekeeper Robert Sanderson told the P&J: “The population is now at the point where it is becoming unmanageable”. He added: “They will go everywhere and anywhere with tree coverage and fresh vegetation…. They destroy land very quickly.”
Stuart told Advnture that "more definitely needs to be done and urgently to control the growth and spread of the boars by trapping and shooting".
NatureScot states that primary responsibility for controlling what they call "feral pigs" lies with individual land managers.
A spokesperson said: “NatureScot and Forest and Land Scotland have developed best practice advice to guide land managers in controlling feral pig populations safely and humanely. A licence is not required as feral pigs are not a protected species.”
Meanwhile, animal welfare charity OneKind believes there is an atmosphere of negativity surrounding the boars and there should be a greater focus on "developing a culture of coexistence".
Safety advice for hikers on the Great Glen Way
Macdonald offers his advice for hikers on the Great Glen Way, which is a way-marked trail popular with both locals and tourists. Great Trails. He said: “In most cases, the pigs will run away from people. This is their natural instinct, just like many wild animals.
“No one wants to be scare-mongering but there is a growing reality to the problem of wild boars in the glen.
“The fact is they are wild and they can be big and aggressive beasts, plus they will defend themselves and, especially, their young.
“If you chance upon a wild boar, or a group, it’s best to stay still and remain calm, rather than running away or trying to scare them away.
“If the boar feels cornered or if they are protecting their young, they may try to attack, so it’s better if hikers stay on, or close to, the path and they should not accidentally stray into a wild boar habitat, or near to a nest.
“Dogs can be a real issue. Owners should be confident that their dog will walk to heel or, if on a lead, will stay at heel. Dogs that are roaming off the lead may inadvertently come into contact with the boars and this could lead to attacks.
“If you are with a dog and see the boars, you should have your dog held close to you with their collar and either wait calmly for the pigs to pass or aim to walk calmly past with your dog under control.
“If a pig does still attack, the advice is to let your dog go so that you do not face an attack as well.”
The NatureScot spokesperson added a more general warning about wildlife: “The public should always be aware of the potentially aggressive response by wildlife to the presence of dogs. Dogs should be kept within sight and under control but should be released if owner and dog are threatened. Do not linger in an area if wildlife is disturbed by your presence.”
Another recommendation is to avoid wild camping in areas close to the Great Glen Way because wild boars may be in the vicinity.
Why are there wild boars in Scotland?
There are many different stories of the origins of the 21st century wild boars. Scotland did once have large populations of the mammals but they became extinct in the 13th century due to hunting and habitat loss.
The new breeding populations, which are also known to exist in Lochaber, Dumfries & Galloway and Ross-shire, are thought to be a result of escapees from private collections and farms, and illegal releases.
One theory is that the boars were released from an estate near Invermoriston, close to the Great Glen Way. Other reports are of boar that originated from captivity in Achnacarry, also near the popular hiking trail, and Spean Bridge near to the southern end of the Great Glen Way.
Many people reckon the wild boars have bred with domestic pigs and the result is a feral mix-breed of pig.
However, Stuart has a different story. He said: “About 12 years ago, about 150 black Siberian boars, kept by a private estate on the west coat of the Highlands, got out of fencing.
“It’s thought that about 100 headed east and many ended up in the Great Glen area, as well as some in Lochaber. This is what I believe to be the main source of today’s population.
“People will tell you that the boars have bred with domestic pigs and that accounts for the different colours, some with pink patches. However, I think this is more likely due to in-breeding of close family relatives. I believe most of the boars seen today can be traced back to that estate escape.”
There are fresh counts of the boars in the area being undertaken at the moment by NatureScot and several partners. The spokesperson said: “Data from these counts is likely to be available in February 2025.”
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